‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath’ Spotlights Accusations Of Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Against The Church of Scientology

One of the most gripping shows of modern television isn’t star-packed or even scripted. Episode after episode, A+E’s analysis of Scientology based on interviews from former members of the church has become one of the most interesting and disturbing watches on television. Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath continued that trend with its Season 2 premiere.

“Thetans in Young Bodies” picks up where Season 1 left off. According to the series, Remini and Mike Rinder have still been receiving negative messages from the Church of Scientology and struggling with authorities. However, the most shocking element of this premiere is its discussion of alleged child abuse in the organization. The episode largely hinges on the testimonies of two women, childhood best friends Saina Kamula and Mirriam Francis. Both women were born into the Church, as Remini and Rinder were, but Kamula and Francis each claim they were sexually abused by older members. Francis even claims that she was punished for reporting this abuse to her teacher. Why? According to the series, that report was acting against the best interest of Scientology, labelling Francis “counter-intention.” Both women have since reported their abuse to the LAPD and are now considered enemies of the Church, according to the episode.

The Church denies claims of child abuse and sexual misconduct. In a statement that was aired on the show, the Church of Scientology said it “abide[s] by any and all legal requirements to make reports to law enforcement authorities in instances where non-privileged information comes to our attention of child abuse, including illegal sexual activity between an adult and a minor.”

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“Thetans in Young Bodies” continues a trend we’ve seen in Scientology and the Aftermath. The series has made a point of responding to viewer questions in as close to real time as possible. Originally, the docu-series was only supposed to air seven episodes over one season, but viewer questions, particularly on Reddit and Twitter, led Remini, Rinder, and the crew to release two additional episodes during its Season 1 run as well as a special. According to The Underground Bunker, Tony Ortega’s blog about Scientology, it’s implied that “Thetans in Young Bodies” was released in response to viewers who had questions about how children were treated in the Church. Currently, you can watch the first episode of Scientology and the Aftermath for free on A+E’s site.

New episodes of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath premiere on A+E Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.